Overview
- Bill Maher, who was announced Thursday by the Kennedy Center as the 27th Mark Twain Prize honoree, will be celebrated June 28 in a gala streamed on Netflix.
- White House officials last week dismissed early reports as “fake news,” then said Thursday their denial was accurate at the time because discussions with the Trump-Kennedy Center and organizers were still in flux.
- Maher and President Trump have a tense history, including a 2025 White House dinner followed by a post last month in which Trump called him a “highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT.”
- The venue now bears Trump’s name, has a board he installed and chairs, faces artist cancellations and legal challenges, and will close July 4 for roughly two years of renovations.
- Public records show the Mark Twain gala is a major revenue driver, bringing in $5.2 million tied to sponsorships and a Netflix deal, and this year’s show is slated as one of the center’s last events before the shutdown.